Ehud Olmert intends to give up his benefits as former prime minister, his attorney Eli Zohar told the prosecution Tuesday.

The declaration comes ahead of the prosecution's request to the Jerusalem
District Court to rule that the actions for which Olmert was convicted in the Investment Center
Affair, constitute moral turpitude.

A classification of moral
turpitude would bar Olmert from holding public office for seven years,
but would also strip him of the benefits afforded to former premiers.
The benefits include an office, staff, telephone, car, driver and
related expenses.

Olmert was found guilty of breach of trust in the Investment Center affair in July, while he was acquitted of central corruption charges against him in the Rishon Tours and Talansky affairs.

In
one of the most significant corruption trials in Israel’s history,
Olmert was being tried on three main charges of corruption – dubbed the
Rishon Tours affair, the Talansky or cash envelopes affair and the
Investment Center affair. The indictment spanned events that allegedly
took place during 2002-2006, first during Olmert’s tenure as mayor of
Jerusalem and later when he served as a government minister.

Other
charges listed on the indictment included that Olmert failed to
disclosed donations from US businessman Joe Almaliah to the state
comptroller.

Following
the verdict, lawyers defending Olmert stressed that though found guilty
of minor charges in the Investment Center affair, Olmert was acquitted
of the central charges against him. "There were technical
improprieties," said Navit Negev, Olmert's defense attorney in the
Rishon Tours affair. "But the improprieties were nothing like the
charges laid out in the indictment of former prime minister Ehud
Olmert."

The Investment Center affair relates to the
period when Olmert was minister of industry, trade and labor. The
prosecution contended that Olmert granted illegal favors to Uri Messer –
Olmert’s longtime friend and former partner – who applied to the
Investment Center for state grants and other benefits.

Sites Of Interest

The Jerusalem Post Customer Service Center can be contacted with any questions or requests:
Telephone: *2421 * Extension 4 Jerusalem Post or 03-7619056 Fax: 03-5613699E-mail: [email protected]
The center is staffed and provides answers on Sundays through Thursdays between 07:00 and 14:00 and Fridays only handles distribution requests between 7:00 and
13:00
For international customers: The center is staffed and provides answers on Sundays through Thursdays between 7AM and 6PM
Toll Free number in Israel only 1-800-574-574
Telephone +972-3-761-9056
Fax: 972-3-561-3699
E-mail: [email protected]